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World's Cheapest Tablet Launched in India

In a bid to bring the digital world to the poor, the Indian government has released a tablet named Aakash, that costs INR 2,999 or S$80.

Under the hood, Aakash runs an older version of Android, Froyo 2.2 and has a 7-inch touchscreen and weighs 350 grams. It also has 32 GB of internal memory, 256 MB of RAM and two USB ports. Depending on usage, it can run for two or three hours before running out of juice. Even though it's running Android, Aakash lacks access to the Android Marketplace, though some apps have been pre-loaded.

Despite its nondescript specifications, the Aakash is the cheapest tablet on the market and is a cheaper alternative to purchasing a full-fledged computer.

The tablet was developed by Datawind, a small British company, with the Indian Institute of Technology. Made in India, it should be found in Indian stores by November though it is unclear if the tablet will be available outside India.